M6:1985 — بی‌اجابت بر دعا‌ها می‌تنید / از کرم لبیک پنهان می‌شنید

Translation: Without visible response, he persisted in prayers; but from divine grace, he heard a hidden 'Here I am!'. Meaning: This verse speaks to the human act of persisting in prayer, even when no immediate, manifest answer is received. Through profound trust in divine benevolence, the seeker hears an unspoken, internal affirmation from the Divine.

In this verse, situated within the narrative of the poor man seeking treasure in Book Six, Rumi unveils a profound truth about the spiritual journey and connection with the Divine. The man, as the verse says, “persisted in prayers without a visible response” (bī-ijābat bar du’ā-hā mī-tanīd). The verb mī-tanīd here implies continuous weaving, struggling, and steadfastness in his supplications, as if tirelessly knitting the fabric of his prayers. This persistence does not stem from weakness of heart or compulsion, but from a deep “trust in the generosity of the Glorious Creator” (z’e’temād-e jūd-e khallāq-e jalīl), as Rumi explains in preceding verses that he “danced without a drum, though ailing” (chūn ke bī-daf raqs mī-kard ān ‘alīl). His inner joy and dance were not products of external music, but of his unshakeable faith in divine grace and benevolence.

The crux of the matter, and an immeasurably precious insight, lies in the second hemistich: “but from divine grace, he heard a hidden ‘Here I am!’” (az karam labbayk-e penhān mī-shenīd). This “hidden labbayk” (the divine affirmation, 'Here I am!') is heard not with the physical ear, but with the heart’s ear, the “ear of hope” (gūsh-e omīdash). God sends no manifest answer, neither through a celestial voice nor a messenger, yet the seeker’s hope and trust are so potent that they themselves create the faculty to hear the response. It is not that God is absent or silent; rather, the answer is always present, but requires a different ear to perceive it. This echoes my frequent emphasis that Rumi’s world is one of separation, not loneliness; it is not the absence of God, but our absence from God. Here too, the divine labbayk is never silent; it is the servant's hope that removes the veils and allows it to be heard.

“Silently, his hope called out 'Come!' (bī-zabān mī-goft omīd-ash ta’āl), and that invitation purged sorrow from his heart” (az del-ash mī-ruft ān da’vat malāl). This inner hope, without uttering a single word, urged him forward (ta’āl means 'come!'), and it is precisely this call of hope that swept away the anguish and despondency arising from the lack of a visible answer. This illustrates how hope alone can fulfill the function of an explicit response, purifying the heart of despair. In this state, the individual no longer waits for an external event to feel joy or hope; rather, hope itself nourishes their very being, opening a window to hidden divine mercy. This perspective profoundly emphasizes humanity’s inner capacity to receive divine blessings, revealing the truth that sometimes the deepest answers are the most silent and concealed, audible only to the ear of the soul.

Key takeaways

• Persistence in prayer, even without apparent answers, signifies deep trust in God.
• The 'hidden labbayk' is a divine call heard not by the physical ear, but by the ear of hope and inner insight.
• Trust in divine grace and generosity is the source of inner joy and spiritual movement, even in the absence of external signs.
• Hope is an intrinsic force that purges sorrow and despondency from the heart, propelling one forward.
• True divine responses are not always manifest; hearing them requires the opening of the heart's ear and steadfastness in seeking.